Published at 26th of January 2026 9:31 am

Chapter 348

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Sung Hun, burning his last ember without reserve.

Watching him, everyone feels relief.

The most beautiful and noble plum tree of Mount Hua has risen. Its roots and shade are still needed.

Everyone wishes that the old tree that is Sung Hun does not fall.

Yes, he is an old tree.

He could feel it from the way others looked at him.

"......"

Sect Leader. Sect Leader.

Amidst those fervently calling out, I silently look at him.

His dispersing vitality. Flowing out, unreachable and slipping away.

Like water flowing from a dike that couldn't be stopped.

His end was approaching.

"Heh heh heh."

Sung Hun patted Yu Yun, who was embracing him, gently on the back.

"Why must you put this old man through hardship like this?"

Even as he let out a hearty laugh, Sung Hun smiled, seemingly in good spirits.

That smiling face is ridiculous. Is he acting up like that just because he got himself a decent disciple?

With those words, Yu Chun-gil looked at me.

......tsk.

'What are you looking at?'

Clicking his tongue was exasperating. Does he wish I would do the same for him?

Don't think such creepy thoughts.

'I decline as well.'

It isn't even funny. There could never be such tenderness between us.

As Sung Hun kept patting Yu Yun's back for a while

"Disciples."

Sung Hun called his disciples. The elders.

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"Senior Brother......"

"I'll hear about what happened later. For now, could you leave us alone for a bit?"

"What do you mean...!"

"Why are you doing this?"

At the elders' words, Sung Hun looked at me.

'Hm?'

I wondered why he was looking at me.

"I have something to say to Moon Hero. I beg you."

When he said he wanted a word with me, the elders flinched. Apparently, the words workedthey quietly stepped aside.

"...... Understood."

"Please take care..."

The elders stepped aside, and thus the disciples also reluctantly made space. Finally, Sung Hun spoke to Yu Yun, who was still in his arms.

"You too."

"......"

Yu Yun's expression was as usual, but her actions betrayed her reluctance to leave.

It was unexpected. I thought she'd just listen and go.

As Yu Yun hesitated and stepped back

"Yun-ah."

"......"

Sung Hun called to her.

"Take good care of the sword I gave you."

"......"

Yu Yun nodded and left.

If it's a sword, did he mean the Plum Blossom True Sword?

That thought flashed through my mind.

'Wait......'

Something was odd.

I widened my eyes and looked at Sung Hun. I had no choice.

'The fact that he entrusted the Plum Blossom True Sword to Yu Yun.'

That's something Sung Hun shouldn't know as he is now. It happened when he was a wandering spirit.

Yet he knew it.

"...... Sect Leader. Don't tell me."

Creak!

The door closed on its own.

Whoosh!!

A ki barrier formed in the room.

"Sit down."

A sound-proofing energy spread out, and Sung Hun spoke to me. I cautiously took a seat.

There was an uncomfortable comfort, a contradictory sensation. I was the one who first addressed Sung Hun.

"Do you have your memories?"

"Yes."

"......"

He possessed memories from when he was a wandering spirit. I hesitated at his words.

'...... How does he have those memories?'

I narrowed my eyes in curiosity. The answer came to me quickly.

And then

"It seems I have reached the end."

Sung Hun seemed to know the answer himself.

'...... The soul contained in his wandering spirit and in his body now must not be much different in quality.'

If, when the body is extremely weakened and the mind is lost, a person becomes a wandering spirit

Then now, his state is so dire that it's not much different from being dead.

When a human is on the verge of death, they begin to see things they shouldn't see. That is precisely Sung Hun's state.

At that moment

"I owe you much. Truly, I do. So, if I got the chance, I always wanted to do this."

Sung Hun spoke and moved his body. My eyes went wide in shock.

"Sect Leader...!"

Not only did Sung Hun bow his head to me, he even started bowing low.

"Please, don't do this."

I hurried to stop him, but Sung Hun was resolute.

"Thank you. For saving Mount Hua, and for standing in for this useless old man."

"No......"

"Thank you......"

"......"

Sung Hun wouldn't move. There was no helping it. I swallowed hard and stepped back, then bowed in return.

Hmph.

With Yu Chun-gil's snort, I and Sung Hun both straightened up at the same time.

"Sung Hun, Sect Leader of Mount Hua, greets his benefactor."

"...... Bang Sung-Yun of the Blue Moon Sect greets the Sect Leader."

Only after completing the overdue courtesy did Sung Hun let out a dry laugh.

"There's something left over there for you."

"Something for me?"

"Yes. Things I wasn't able to give you before."

"......"

I glanced over. On the spot Sung Hun indicated, there was a small box.

"That is...?"

"Will you open it?"

I approached and picked up the box. Inside

"......!"

There were a couple of books.

"No way......"

"That's right."

The name of the book was Divine Physician's Secret Manual. Which meant

"These were left behind under my other name."

They were books containing the Arts of the Divine Physician.

"...... Ah...... Why are you giving me this?"

But why was he giving this to me? I was bewildered.

Ah, surely

"You're not telling me to learn this, are you?"

Was he expecting me to study this and succeed the Divine Physician? That's impossible. I narrowed my eyes and asked.

"Ahahaha."

Sung Hun burst out laughing.

"As if I would."

"Whew......"

Relief.

"Then why...?"

But really, why was he giving me such a thing?

"You'll need it someday. Even if it may not fit me, I have somehow gained undue fam, and you'll surely find a use for it soon."

"......"

I guess that's reasonable. Few do not know of the Divine Physician. The skills of one who was said to cure even the dead.

You could probably sell this for a fortune.

"And you think I'll know how to use it."

"However you use it is fine. I trust you."

"......"

He trusts me.

I clicked my tongue inside. That was the statement I most struggled with.

"And also."

Sung Hun pointed behind him with his thumb.

"Don't forget the thing I promised you last time. Take it as well."

"Promise?"

"If you defeat my disciple, you were to take it."

"...... Ah."

Yu Chun-gil's inheritance. We fought over that, didn't we.

That's right. I'd forgotten about that.

"You can bring the black robe whenever you feel like. But if possible... I'd be glad if you could give it to my disciple."

"So it's not something that should be sold."

"Ahahaha... Even so, shouldn't we leave at least one decent one?"

"......"

"Please, I ask you."

"Alright... I will."

This much, I could do for him. Though I didn't know when I would hand it over.

"Thank you."

"...... Don't mention it."

My conversation with Sung Hun ended there. There was nothing more to say.

Before one whose life was ending.

There were so few words I could utter.

***

Beneath his barely attached back, as the light slowly faded, Sung Hun spoke.

"Disciple."

"......"

In the now quiet room, Sung Hun softly called out.

At his words, Yu Yun looked at him.

"I told you, you could go get some sleep."

"......"

Yu Yun shook her head slightly. She meant to stay longer.

"Heh heh. When someone is around, it's hard to sleep. Off you go. It's late."

The day had passed so quickly. From morning, people had come and gone to see Sung Hun when he awoke. Everyone wished and prayed for his recovery.

So great was the trouble that had struck Mount Hua, everyone hoped he would get up even one day faster.

The physician said it was nothing short of a miracle.

"You'd better get some sleep, so this old man can recover too."

"......"

At his words, Yu Yun hesitated. Sung Hun smiled at her wavering fingertips.

"Ahahaha......"

It had been so long since he'd seen that reserved, cold child so out of sorts.

A faint warmth bloomed inside him.

So, Sung Hun grabbed Yu Yun's wrist.

"Disciple."

The old man calls his spring.

"......"

The cold spring finally looked to his shade.

"Do you remember what this old man told you?"

Which words did he mean? There were too many occasions the shade had protected him to pick just one.

"I said, this place is cold, so let's go somewhere springlike, didn't I?"

"......"

She remembered.

It was what he'd said when they first met.

"Did this place become your spring?"

"......"

Yu Yun nodded.

But

"No, it didn't."

Sung Hun shook his head.

"This place should not become your spring."

It wasn't enough for that.

The spring meant to find Yu Yun could not end here.

Even this place, which meant everything to him, should be just a stepping stone for her.

"I came from where the plum blossoms bloom."

So had the years gone by.

Living and living, he'd spent his life in the arms of the plum tree.

"Basking in the scent, and in the end, I will fall into the arms of plum blossoms."

He resolved to live without a shred of regret. Even so

"If there is one regret in that life..."

It would be the child before him.

"Disciple."

My spring.

The spring that pulled the old man from the winter he'd created for himself.

"Go and find your spring."

He wished her spring would not be here. More than satisfying the old man's greed, he wished her spring would bloom to its fullest.

"......"

Yu Yun made no reply and did not react.

Find your spring.

She already knew what he meant.

It wasn't shade, nor could the term 'season' quite fit.

If anything, someone more suited to winter or autumn than spring.

Of all things, at the word 'spring', Yu Yun recalled that person.

Her eyes narrowed. Why did she remember him now of all times?

And when her expression changed, the old man smiled.

"You recognized your spring, it seems."

"......"

"Off you go. This old man needs to get some more sleep. From tomorrow, I expect to be busy again."

"......"

"Go on?"

At Sung Hun's words, Yu Yun slowly moved.

As her body walked away, her gaze remained fixed on Sung Hun.

"Hurry on."

At his gentle urging, Yu Yun finally left the room, and only then did Sung Hun's smile fade.

He sat at the desk to the side and picked up a brush.

"...... Let's see......"

In a place with no one else, he slowly began to write.

Beyond his residence, the one plum tree's leaves had all already fallen.

By the time the night ended, not a leaf would likely remain.

That

Sung Hun knew this better than anyone.

***

"Get up."

"......"

A voice sounded.

I scratched my ear. Who is it? Light came through my not-quite-open eyes.

I realized it must be morning. I ignored it. I wanted to sleep more.

But

"Come on, up already?"

"Agh......"

With the persistent urging, I had no choice but to open my eyes.

I rubbed my brow and got up.

"Who's making all this fuss...."

I started to speak, then stopped. It was Sung Hun.

"...... Sect Leader. What brings you here?"

"What do you mean, what brings me? Is it strange for me to come see you in the morning?"

He beamed as he spoke. Ridiculous.

"You could've just come later"

I trailed off.

I looked at Sung Hun's eyes, and sensed something strange.

Lowered my gaze.

"...... Ah."

Only then did I understand.

Heh heh heh.

His laughter grew ever fainter.

I told you, didn' I.

The odd tone erased the irritation from my expression.

Sung Hun's legs were fading. There could be only one reason why.

I came to say goodbye.

The greatest plum tree of Mount Hua had fallen.

The Sect Leader of Mount Hua. Heaven Beyond Heaven.

Plum Blossom First Sword, one of the heroes who saved the world.

His tree had finally fallen.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

It's a bittersweet chapter not gonna lie.

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